Spectacular ballet with Renaissance Tours
From 17-27 December, Archivist and Records Manager at the Australian Ballet, Donna Cusack, is leading a tour to see some of the world's most renown ballet companies on behalf of Renaissance Tours. Called the Christmas Ballet Spectacular, she will be leading the tour to theatres in the world's great cities of London, Paris and Berlin.
Cusack has been involved with the Australian Ballet in many roles since 2004. However, she led her first Renaissance Tour to China in 2015, and since then has taken regular tours to London, Paris, and Germany as well as a number of Australian ballet lovers’ tours.
So, can she single out a highlight from so many highlights?
"That’s like choosing a favourite child!," she replies. "I have been so lucky to see the best of European ballet companies perform many superb classical and contemporary works. Alexander Ekman’s Play for Paris Opera Ballet blew my mind – a piece of theatre like I have never seen! Christian Spuck’s Messa de Requiem, an engaging mass of choral singers moving with the dancers, was so elegant and touching. Also, a number of perfect Christmas Day, Petipa-Tchaikovsky pairings, such as Berlin Staatsballett’s production of The Sleeping Beauty by Marcia Haydee and Stuttgart Ballet's Swan Lake by John Cranko. (I could go on…).
"Another absolute treat," she says, "is the backstage tour of Palais Garnier (and any of the theatres we are able to go behind the scenes in). Each venue has its own mystery and allure and that never gets old! While overseas I am also always forever proud of our Australian companies and standards and the reputation of Australian artists working abroad
This year Cusack will be leading the tour on a to-die-for selection of sparkling shows at iconic venues. First up is London, to see a performance by the English National Ballet of Tchaikovsky’s Christmas classic, The Nutcracker, and Matthew Bourne’s evocative production of Swan Lake at Sadler’s Wells, and a performance by the Royal Ballet Covent Garden.
From there the tour goes to the glittering Palais Garnier for a performance of Pierre Lacotte’s seminal recreation of Paquita and the acclaimed contemporary ballet Play by Alexander Ekman, performed by the Paris Opera Ballet.
Next on the itinerary is Berlin, in time for Christmas and Christian Spuck's Bovary, based on the novel by Gustave Flaubert, and Patrice Bart’s dreamy production of Swan Lake at the Berlin State Opera, performed by the Staatsballett Berlin.
Would you like to join her? Go here for more info.